The Trouble With Trent
by Ryu-Sorairo
Summary: All about Trent's life as Mineral Town's sometimes clueless doctor! For Regardless1604's 100 theme challenge!
1. Introduction

I've been wanting to start this challenge for a few months now, but just never got around to it… So today I am forcing myself to get started! More Friends Of Mineral Town was my first Harvest Moon game, and I fell in love with Dr. Trent IMMEDIATELY, so I'm happy I get to make this challenge about him! I've always wanted to write a fanfiction about him, and I've always wanted to try a writing challenge…so here's the chance to do both at once! ^_^ It's been a while since I've played it, though, so I might be a bit out of touch with his personality...XD Let me know if I am.

Thank you to HarvestMoonAddict/Regardless1604 for posting the challenge!

Please let me know what you guys think!

**Introduction**

Trent was a nice enough guy.

Good looking.

Intelligent.

Hard working.

So how was it Mineral Town's doctor had never had a relationship- friendship _or _otherwise?

Put simply, the guy could be dense.

It seemed all Trent ever noticed were his books, his notebooks, and how much milk was left in the refrigerator ("Milk has so many health benefits!") His job was his life, and everything else got pretty much ignored. It was for that reason nobody bothered him more than they had to.

And honestly, he'd never really noticed his lack of a social life...

Not at first, anyways.


	2. River

**River**

Trent shook his head as Claire staggered out the clinic. She'd come in complaining of stomach cramps- then told him she'd been drinking water _from the river_!

Every day!

He tried not to think of the decaying branches, rusty cans and smelly old boots he'd seen floating in that river…or how often Stu played in it, pulling up mud and weeds and Goddess knows what else!

"Unfiltered….Full of germs…Why would anyone drink that….?" He muttered, sipping his cup of coffee. "No wonder she's always sick."

Elli bit her lip. "…..Where does the water for our coffee come from?"

Trent blinked.


	3. Farm

**Farm**

The price of nutritious foods (milk, eggs, vegetables) had gone down, since the farm was now providing them for the town. Which meant folks were eating healthier.

Trent was happy about that, but…

He didn't approve of _Claire _running the farm.

Farm work was extremely physically demanding, even more so for a female. Women tired more easily, had less muscle mass, and frankly weren't designed to do such hard work!

He'd tried to explain that to Claire once…

She'd rolled her eyes.

"I'd rather collapse from exhaustion than sit in a chair _studying _all day!"

Which made him worry more.

**x-x-x**  
>Poor Tent doesn't seem to get that Claire was insulting him. I think I'm picking on him too much, but I can't help it ...I like having fun with how serious he is! ^_^ It makes me a pretty bad fan though…...Oh well.<p> 


	4. Warmth

I've always thought hospitals are cold... I don't know. Maybe it's just me. :P

**Warmth**

The sun shone brightly through the window, a beam of sunlight landing right on Trent's desk.

He loved it.

The clinic's thermostat was kept at 60 degrees at all times (the best temperature for medicine) and while that was by no means cold…

It wasn't warm, either.

Trent got up and pushed his desk a few inches, moving his chair so that he sat right in the light's path. The warmth of the sun on his back relaxed his muscles, melting away his stress and lifting his spirits.

He smiled.

It was amazing, the effect warmth had on a person.


	5. Clouds

**Clouds**

Elli stared out the window. "…..Why don't we go cloud watching?"

Trent frowned. "We have work to do, Elli."

"Oh…yeah…You're right…."

He glanced at her, surprised. She suddenly looked so sad….

"Well…..I suppose we can close the clinic early today." 

**X-X-X**

****Trent frowned, squinting at the sky. Elli was having no problem picking random clouds and telling him what they resembled.

But to him, they all looked the same.

"See anything yet, Doctor?"

"Oh, um…" He spied a large, squashed cloud. "There. A tomato."

"Oh…! Good one!" She gave him a huge smile.

He smiled back, relieved he'd cheered her up.


	6. Bells

**Bells**

Trent gritted his teeth, the noise suddenly getting louder as the clinic door opened and Elli walked in from her break.

"Close the door! _Quickly_!"

"W-why? What's wrong?" she asked, slamming the door shut.

He sighed. "It's that incessant ringing….It's giving me a headache…..Can't concentrate on my studies…"

"You mean the bells from Carter's church? There's a wedding there today!"

"You don't say. Can you get me a pair of earplugs from the medicine cabinet?"

Elli handed him the earplugs, smiling dreamily. "Well I think they sound wonderful…! So romantic…!"

"Huh?" Trent asked, earplugs in place.

Elli sighed. "Nothing, Doctor."

**x-x-x**  
>I can't see Trent caring that much about a wedding when he's trying to work... :P <p>


	7. Love

Man…..this one was hard XD Well, at least it adds a little plot into this story, right?

**Love**

People generally described love as some bubbly, pink, cotton candy-like thing. But Trent knew love had another side. He'd seen it many times during his childhood.

And recognized it immediately the day Claire walked into his office, her arm covered in bruises. She didn't say how they'd gotten there, and he didn't ask. But as he pulled out some ointment and started applying it to her wounds, the words he was thinking slipped out from his mouth. "…Love shouldn't hurt, you know."

To his surprise, she leaned her head on his shoulder, tears silently falling from her eyes.

"Yeah…I know…." 


	8. Cold

I couldn't decide what to do with this theme (someone having a cold? It being cold out? Having a cold attitude?) So I tried to mix it all together! Triple coldness! ;D

**Cold**

"Ah…AH-CHOO!"

Trent handed Elli a box of tissues and ran to get his disinfectant.

This was how it went whenever cold weather hit Mineral Town:  
>-Weather gets cold.<br>-Elli gets a cold.  
>-Air in the clinic gets filled with germs.<br>-Trent panics.

Elli scowled as he pulled out his can of antibacterial spray and sprayed it all around her desk. "Must you do that _every time_ I sneeze, Doctor?"

"Prevention is key, Elli! After all, we….w-we…" he sniffled a few times, then sneezed. "….can't have germs spreading….." he mumbled, taking a tissue.

Elli handed him the can of antibacterial spray.


	9. Coffee

This one sorta carries on from the "River" chapter.

**Coffee**

Trent had banned Elli from making coffee using "germy, unfiltered Mineral Town water". He didn't want them getting sick like Claire had, and said he'd find some alternative.

Which was why _Won_ was now in the Clinic, offering 'special water'.

"From spring of the Goddess herself! Many health benefits! No purer water anywhere in world!" Won grinned, placing the jug of water on Trent's desk.

Trent squinted at it. "…You don't say…."

"Makes _best_ coffee in world, too! Usually 50,000g! For you, only 10,000g!"

"…..I'll take it!"

Elli scowled. "Doctor, that's outrageous!"

"You want coffee again, right?"

"...We'll take it!"


	10. Gift

**Gift**

Many of Mineral Town's vendors offered special deals to customers on their birthdays.

The Supermarket gave customers free chocolate on their birthdays.

Doug's Inn offered half-price meals.

The Winery gave away grape juice.

Mineral Clinic offered free band-aids.

….And while people made sure to grab their chocolates and juice and dinner, nobody ever bothered with the free band-aids. In fact, Trent had a whole _stockpile_ of band-aids that nobody had bothered taking.

It was quite depressing.

He sighed. "Elli, we need a better birthday offer for our patients."

"Like what, Doctor?"

"…..Perhaps if we offered band-aids with patterns on them…."


	11. Fire

Yay, more about Trent's past! I think this is the first chapter that isn't driven by dialogue!

**Fire**

He was ten when it happened.

A passing hurricane had out the city's electricity. But little Trent couldn't sleep without reading for awhile, so his mother had lit a candle for him to read by.

An hour later, he'd heard a thud outside his door.

Probably his parents fighting again.

But there were more thuds. Curious, he leapt out of bed, oblivious to the burning candle he'd knocked aside...

And that small flame grew into a blaze.

He'd watched, horrified, as firemen searched their burning house….

But his mother was never found.

And his father never talked to him again…..


	12. Marriage

Sorry it took a while to update. I've been busy and unable to focus on writing (plus this summer heat...it just saps all my energy ;/ !)

Anyways, thank you for the reviews, guys! I appreciate it! ^_~ Hope you enjoy this chapter (It sorta carries on from "Bells")

**Marriage**

"She's always DRUNK!"

"He brings his stupid CHICKENS to bed!"

"Don't you call my chickens stupid!"

"I'll call them whatever I want!"

Trent scowled as Rick and Karen continued screaming at each other from opposite ends of his desk. After just one month of marriage, they were driving each other _nuts_ and had come to Trent for "marriage counseling".

He'd tried telling them he wasn't qualified to handle relationship problems, that they should talk with Carter instead, but they wouldn't listen…

And, apparently, weren't leaving anytime soon.

"Marriage is more trouble than it's worth…." Trent mumbled, searching for his earplugs.


	13. Death

Sorry for the wait- hope you enjoy!

**13. Death**

It was one of those things people felt uncomfortable talking- or even _thinking_- about. But Trent thought about death quite often…

It was, after all, his job to prevent it.

But on nights like these, when he couldn't sleep, he'd sit on the bench beside the clinic and think….

He could spend his entire _life_ studying, fill every piece of paper in the _world_ with notes, and still never be able to help everyone who needed him. Simply prolonging life never seemed like enough, but he could never stop death.

Or cure it.

He sighed. Sometimes he felt so…

useless.


	14. Look-Alike

**14. Look-Alike**

"Come on, Doc! I know you know the truth, so why won't you tell me!?"

"It's confidential information."

"But I'm Popuri's fiancé!"

"That makes no difference."

Trent sighed as Kai stomped out of the clinic. This happened quite often. It was no secret Rick looked nothing like his mother and sister. Rumors that he might not really be related to them had been going around for years, and nosy townspeople often tried to get Trent to confirm their suspicions, suggesting he DNA test them...although it wasn't their business.

And Trent knew the truth, of course….

but he wouldn't tell.


	15. Apple

**15. Apple**

Now that fall was upon them, Trent spent his mornings collecting apples. Elli said he was going overboard bringing back twenty a day, but she didn't understand the magic of apples! It was rare for something so healthy to be so versatile… They could have apple jam, apple butter, apple pie (sugar free of course), stewed apples, baked apples…

"We'll have a different apple dish everyday for a year!" Trent grinned.

Elli, already sick of _seeing_ apples, said "How about mushrooms? They grow this time of year too."

Trent sighed, smiling. "Apples with mushrooms? You have unusual taste, Elli…. "


	16. Life

At long last, here's the next chapter.

**Life**

Trent never had a choice with how to spend his life.

His parents were doctors. _Their_ parents were doctors. One of his _great_-great-grandparents had been a pirate….. But everyone else in his family had been in the medical field, going back generations.

Trent didn't mind his profession, but he never felt suited to deal with so many people. He cared about his patients, of course….but _truthfully_, he studied so hard because he hoped being successful would earn his father's forgiveness.

Trent was devoted to redeeming himself, but he sometimes wondered what he would be doing, if he'd had a choice….


	17. Night

Week off= time to update! :D And since we haven't heard from Claire in 10 chapters….

**17. Night**

Trent had recently developed a new nighttime routine: spending most of the night at Claire's farm.

This was due to _Claire's_ new nighttime routine: working outrageously late and collapsing in the middle of watering crops (leading to the sad death of many squished, over-watered plants).

Trent didn't like checking on her every night. Not because he didn't like Claire….. But because rumors about them had started circulating.

It was quite embarrassing.

He sighed as he reached the farm. Sure enough, Claire was collapsed on top of a flooded, half-grown ear of corn.

He'd have to talk to her about this…..


	18. Children

**18. Children**

"Negative." Trent tried to hide his relief as he read the pregnancy test's result.

Karen frowned. "It's not fair. Rick has chickens to keep him company, but what do I have?! Really, is a kid too much to ask for?!"

Trent bit his lip. Usually he would give advice to couples trying to conceive a child, but in this case…..

"How about a cat? Barley has some for sale."

Karen nodded. "Yeah….I like cats! They're independent, like me."

Rick frowned. "No way! No cats! They'll terrorize my chickens!"

Trent quickly left, glad children were- for now- safe from those two….


	19. Sun

**19. Sun**

Summer was approaching, the sun becoming fiercer every day. But despite Trent's warnings, no one could be bothered to use sunscreen.

It drove him nuts.

Each day people would come into the clinic burnt red from too much sun exposure, and he would remind them-_again-_ that they couldn't keep doing that without risking long-term damage.

He didn't mind helping, and he could understand if people simply didn't know any better, but the fact that they knew it was dangerous yet did it anyways- _that's_ what bothered him.

Because it was only a matter of time before someone got seriously sick….


	20. Beach

This one was fun to write ;)

**20. Beach**

"You ready?"

Trent glanced up and almost fell out of his chair. Ann, Karen and Popuri were standing before him….

_Wearing_ _teeny-bikinis_.

He flushed and turned away, covering his eyes. "W-what's going on here!?"

Karen sighed. "Chill, Doc. We're just getting Elli. We're having a beach day!"

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Elli appeared….also wearing a bikini. Trent stared at her, horrified.

"You're going out like that?!"

"Yeah….why? I put sunscreen on, if that's what you're worried about…."

"You can join us if you want!" Popuri said, winking.

"I-I'll pass….." Trent shook his head, feeling embarrassed for them.

The indecency!


End file.
